Life-saving attachment for submarines.



APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 27, 1909.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

INVENTOR Hi5 ATTORNEY,

SNIVELY S. PETERSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-SAVING ATTACHMENT FOR SUBMABINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1909. Serial No. 519,704.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, SNIVELY S. Pnrnnsorr, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and It is theobject of this invention to provide a safe and reliablemeans of egressfrom ing drawings, in which submerged submarine vessels and the'like.

A further object is to provide an apparatus by means of which theinmates of a submerged vessel can escape in the event of possibleaccident or the derangement of machinery which would cause the vessel tosink or remain submer ed, and which apparatus is also so designer? thatingress may be had to the interior of the submerged vessel, withoutendangering the lives or jeopardizing the safety of those aboard. a

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompany Figure 1 is a view of a submarine boat withparts broken away showing the inven-' tion applied. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the lineX-X, Fig. 2. Fig. 4-is a plan view.

Fig. dis a detail view showing a modified form 'of closing the esca eport. Fig. 6 is a detail in section of th Fig. 7 is a detail of thewater inlet e safety air inlet valve. valve.

In the drawings, A is the shell or hull of i a submarine boat which maybe of any de- Suitably con sired type or construction. nected to theupper part of the shell of the submarine and within the vessel and at apoint preferably near the conning tower, is a downwardly projecting cage2 which may be opened to the interior or exterior of the vessel so as toallow one to enter the cage from. inside the vessel. and thence escapewithout letting any water into the vessel, shortly. The cage all as willbe described is designed in such proportions as to comfortably hold aperson. The cage or compartment 2 incloses a chamber which is normallyclosed by a trap-door 3 in the bottom, and acover twhich o ens outsidethe vessel. Entrance to the cham er or compartment 2 is made from theinterior of the vessel, through the trap-door 3 which is hinged in thebottom of the chamber 2 and opens upwardly therein. A flange is providedaround the edge of the door 3, and a gasket or packing material placedon the underside thereof, which bears on a small rib 3 on the rim of theopening, so as to form a perfectly water-tight closure. The exit orescape opening is closed by the cover or gate 4, Figs. 234, mounted toswing sidewise The opening and closing of the door 4 from inside of thevessel and either outside compartment 2 or inside of compartment 2 isaccomplished by the following mechanism. Shaft 5 is fixed to aprojection 5' on Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

on the mouth of the cylinder 2.

the door 4 and passes through a suitable stuffing-box in the shell A andis provided with a pinion 6 on its lower end. This pinion'6 meshes witha gear 7on a shaft 8 which projects through a stufiing-box into theinterior of the chamber 2. Cranks 9-9 are mounted on each end of theshaft 8, one inside chamber 2 and the other outside, so

that whichever crank is worked, the door 4 is caused toswing outward toopen the mouth of the chamber 2.

In order to'lock door 4 and prevent its opening accidentally, threadedshafts 10 extend through the shell A and have each a projecting flange10' on their outer ends adapted to, be drawn down onthe edge of the door4 by means of hand-wheels 10 and thus bind the gate against freemovement. These flanges are raised free from the gate previous tooperating the opening mecha- 2 is shown in the form ofja metal cage andnism, so as to let the door swing sidewise.

"chamber 2 prior normally closed by 11 is a pipe for gradually floodingthe to a mans releasing himself therefrom by opening the door 4. Pipe 11opens outside the hull A and connects with the inside of the chamber 2at any suit-able point. A valve 12 is provided at the inner end of thepipe 11 and is operated from inside chamber 2 by crank 13. A cutoffvalve 14; is provided on thepipe 11 at a point near its inlet andoutside chamber 2.

The chamber 2 is emptied through an outlet pipe 15 which may connectwith a. suitable purhp, not necessary to be here shown, by which thewater may be forced outside of the shell A.

16 is an emergency valve'operated by a foot-lever 17 and provided in thefloor of the chamber 2, so that an inmate may empty the chamber in caseof necessity and before gate 4; is opened. A'stop valve 18 is insertednear the point of discharge from valve 16; valve 18 being'closed whenthe apparatus is not in use. .fi

A breathing port 19 is provided in the upper portion of the chamber 2,whereby one may draw in sufficient air to exist while preparing to openthe door 4. Port 19 is a counterweighted ball 20. As shown, the weight21 flexibly connected with-valve 20 normally maintains the latter on itspacked .seat. Valve 20 is opened by means of a mouth-piece 22 whichmay-be grasped and held between the teeth of the operator in chamber 2,by placing the face against a padded mask 23 which fits over the mouthand nostrils of the operator, and is provided with accordion folds 24:,so that it may be compressed to permit of the mouth-piece 22 beingproperly grasped by the teeth. A coil spring 25' retains the padded masktight againstthe face of the operator, and a spider 26 limits theopening movement of the ball 20.

i 27 is a normally'open vent cock to allow the escape of air as thechamber 2 is filled with-water through pipe 11, as will be laterdescribed. i

In operation, it being desired to make an escape from a submergedsubmarine in which the foregoing apparatus is installed, the person tomake the exit enters the cham her 2. through the trap-door 3 which isthen allowed to close, thus inoasing the person in a water-tightcompartment. The subject then places his face within the mask 23andgrasps the mouth-piece 22 between his teeth, thus pulling theball 20out of its seat and o ening the air inlet port 19, and permitting him tobreathe freely. The handles 9 and 13 are then grasped in the right andleft hands, respectivel and downward pressure upon the latter a mitswater into the chamber 2 through the pipe 11, thevalve 14 beingpreviously opened. Valve 18 is also opened before he enters, but valve16 is and closed. As the compartment 2 fills, the air within thecompartment escapes through the valve 27 As soon as the compartmentbecomes full or nearly full of water, the inmate bears down upon thecrank 9, thus opening the door 1; the clamps 10 being previouslyreleased, thereupon permitting him to escape and float to the surface.The air port 19 closes as soon as the mouth-piece 22 is released, andthe outlet valve 27 is closed by a floating ball when the compartmentfills, so that no water enters the vessel on the opening of door 4. Lifepreservers or other buoyant means may be used to hasten the rise of thesubject to the surface. To prepare the chamber for the next person, thedoor 4 is by means of the crank 9, and the water within thechamber isremoved through the pipe 15. Glass peep-holes or windows 28 are providedin the walls of'chamber 2 so that the attendant can observe theconditions within the chamber or look out into the vessel. By reversingthe operation, that is, first closing trap-door 3 and filling thechamher 2 through the pipe 15, the cover 4 may be opened by the crank 9to allow a person from the outside to enter the chamber. The mask 23being placed over his face allows him to breathe, after opening valve 20to let the mask drain, while the cover 4 is being closed and the waterbeing discharged from the chamber. The trap 3 can then be opened bymeans of the chain 29, thus allowing the subject to enter the vessel.

The hand-levers 9-13 and valve 12 are cased in pockets 30, so that theinterior walls of the chamber'will be smooth and free of projectingobstructions thatwould be liable .v

to hinder the exit of a person from the chamber.

In Fig. 5 is shown a different style of cover 4 which in some cases maybe more desirable than that described, but in which the pinion 6engaging a lug on the shaft 5' turns the latter at the proper moment soas to swing the cover clear of the chamber. A cam collar 8 on, the shaftbearin on a fixed point retains the cover clearof t e chamber permits ofits swinging back" into posiclosed from inside the vessel tion,whereupon a spring-9 acts to insure I the shaft scr wing into thepinion6.

Having thnsdescribed my invention,what

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-.

ent is 1. The combination with a vessel adapted tobe submerged, ofa-compartm-ent in the vessel, said compartment having a door in itsbottom which opens upwardly into the its compartment, said compartmenthaving, also, an openin outside of the vessel, edge A wise swinging oorfor openingand closing the last-named opening, means for closing saidopening sons 'to render the compartment water tight,- means independentof said opening'for admitting water into the compartment, independentmeans controllable from. within the compartment, for draining saidcompartment, and means for operating the closure which controls theopening outside of the vesseL- 2. The combination with-a vessel adaptedto be submerged, of a compartment in the vessel, said compartment havingan opening in its bottom, a door controlling said opening and mounted toswing in an upward direction into the compartment, and said compartmenthaving an opening leading to the outside of the vessel,'an'edgewiseswinging. door for opening and closing the lastfnamed opening, meanswhereby the openings are rendered water tight, means independent of saidopenings for admitting water thereinto, independent means for draininthe compartment, said last named means %eing controlled from within thecompartment, and means by which the closure controlling the openingleading exterior to the vessel may be operated from within saidcompartment.

3. The combination with a vessel adapted to be submerged, of acompartment in the .vessel, and, having ingress and egress doorcontrolled openings, an edgewise swinging closure for the egressopening, means independent of saidopenings forv admitting water intothecompartment, and independent' means controlled from within, the com- 40partment for draining the compartment.

4. The combination witha vessel adapted to be submerged, of acompartment within the vessel having an opening thereinto and an openingdutside the vessel, said openings being in line, and in the top andbottom respectively-of the compartment, and an upwardly opening closurefor the bottom opening, a tra -door for said inside opening and a coveror said outside opening, said compartment capable [of being renderedwater-tight when said openings are closed, said outside cover mounted ona shaft to swing horizontally, and means for operati said shaft to turnthe door from within t e compartment.

5. The combination with a'vessel adapted to be submerged, of a;compartment within the vessel having an opening in its bottom thereintoand an opening outside the vessel,

' a tra -door for said inside opening, said trap I oor opening upwardlinto the compartment and a cover for sa1d outside opening, saidcompartment capable of being 1 rendered water-tight when said openingsare closed, said outside cover mounted on a shaft to swing horizontally,means for oper atin said shaft to turn the door from within t ecompartment, means independent-of said openings controllable from withinthe compartment for flooding the compartment, and, independent means fordralning 'the compartment, said means being controlled from'within thecompartment,

6. The combination with asvessel adapted to be submerged, of acompartment within the vessel havingan opening thereinto and an openingleading outside the vessel, closures for said openings, the closureleading into the compartment comprising a door adapted to 0 en u wardlyinto the compartment and t e 0t enclosure comprising a horizontallyswinging door and mechanism leadin operating the closure fIOlBwiIlSldQthe compartment, means controllable from within the compartmentindependent of either closure for flooding sa1d com artment, and meansindependent of sai draining the compartment, said last-named means beingcontrolled from within the compartment. 1

7. The combination with a vessel adapted to be submerged, of acompartment within the vessel havin an opening'lea mg outside thevessel, clo-. sures for said openings, the closure for the outletopening being mounted on a vertical pivot so that it ma swing edgewise,means for o crating the c osure for the exit open: ing rom within thecom artment,-.means controllable from within a compartment therefrominto the compartment for closures for an opening thereinto and jindependent of said closures for flooding the compartment, andindependent means for draining the compartment, said last named meansbeing controlled from within the compartment.

8. The combination with a life-saving drum. adapted to be renderedwater-tight, of a breathing attachment therefor, sa1d attach: ment'including a flexible member adapted' to fit the face and a valved port,and means operative from. within ,the drum for opening said valve.

9. The combination with a life-savin drum adapted to be renderedwater-tight, o

a breathing attachment therefor, said attachment including a valved ort,and means operative from within the rum for openin said valve, said orthaving on the insi e of the drum a exible mask to fit the face of theoccupant.

p 10. The combination with a sealeddrum, of a breathing-attachmenttherefor consisting of-a port havin a normally closed valve, a ellowswithin t edrum having a mask portion to fit around the face of theoccupant of the drum, and means'for operating the valve in said portfrom within the drum.

11. The combination with a sealeddrum of a breathing attachment thereforconsistin% of a port having a normallyclosed valve, In testimony whereofI have hereuntc set a ellows within the drum having a mask my hand inthe presence of two subscribing portion td fit around the face of theoccuwitnesses.

pant of the drum, and means by which the SNIVELY PETERSON. occupant ofthe drum may operate the valve Witnesses: in said portby his teeth whenhis face is' CHARLES A. PENFIELD,

placed against the mask. R. S. BERRY.

